5 April 1994

it began with the song

that sparked the anthem

that defined our generation.

indifference prevailed

like the lyrics proclaimed:

oh, well, whatever, nevermind.

and we were christened

X.

the hurt, the betrayal,

the tragedy descended

upon us all

that fateful day.

the news had spread

before the wife of bath

had told her tale.

condolence and comfort

were shared among strangers

between classes

in the silence of mourning.

a part of us were taken away

and then we were steeled.

who cared what they thought of us?

who cared if they thought of us at all?

we all saw through.

we all just knew.

Reviews

[Rene Salinas]

I enjoyed this althought from the writing point of view because I think I know where she might be coming from. What I find difficult is to make it justice as the poem will innevitably be a subjective take of how" it felt "for the writer. So when the lines "whatever, nevermind. And we were christened" I guess that means the way she and others felt. And of course a little feeling of sadness as the outcome widely known and there is nothing much to say and understand. Musically the legacy of Nirvana has been pretty much publicized and I am sure that most would assing importance to The Melvins in terms of musical development of that style than to Nirvana. As for marketting and popularity I am not sure that it is even relevant. What remains to this day based on all the other side projects of the other members is that he carried within a certain feeling which had a great mass appeal while the others where slightly less appealing. I am sure that temple of the dog would have also help to define that generation as it brough them all together.

Interesting

[m.s.early]

In the 60's the government took our heroes (King 68, Kennedy 63)...
In the 70's drugs claimed them (Joplin 70, Hendrix 70)
In the 80's society produces psychos that took them (Lennon 80)
And in the 90's they left as a sum of those antecedents

My teachers tell me that my graduating class was the most artistic, free thinking, and creative they had seen since the sixties (I graduated in 91), and they express with a bit of remorse how that passion faded as the years went by. Some of it was because of changing expectations the educational system placed on localities, but most they attributed to a dangerous apathetic nature and general surrender of passions.

Cobain showed us that if it was too much for the gods of rock-n-roll, how could we, the peon ticket buyers, be expected to endure? We weren't as untouchable as King or Kennedy who had become so powerful, fueled by the longing for truth and justice. We weren't as adventurous as Hendrix or Joplin that fell while exploring the bounds of the human condition. Not like Lennon who's lingering pacifist nature became foreign to the gluttons of a society indulging in hedonism. No, this was a voice whose pangs of everyday life were greater than the hatred of a repressive society, greater than the dangers of exploring the psychedelic frontier, greater than the pressure of a society wallowing in self gratification. This was an individual much like any struggling musician thrown recklessly into the lime light with too much of a rooted foundation to survive on a stage of that size.

I'm not a Nirvana fan, but I have appreciated throughout the decades those that changed the voice of our culture. He was undeniably one of those. But tragically he showed his audience, that it's just not worth it. Why bother? The system will suck the life out of you, even at rock star status. If the system will beat you at that level, then why should I, a regular Joe teenager in a flannel shirt and bad haircut, exhaust the energy to even dream?

[Mia Sparrow]

wow. thanks for that sunday times calibre review. its good to know that such accessible writing merits sensationalized commentary from a respected intellectual such as yourself. i didn't even think to write it in a context bigger than the microcosm that was my school and my peers that semester. the cultural and historical framework you provided lends legitimacy to an otherwise unsung generation. something i fell short of accomplishing by employing, instead, an anecdotal aside.

[Blogger]

I am curious.....what happened that day? Sorry to be stupid or nosy. I know that that particular month was significant for me too. But in a good way.

[Mia Sparrow]

hi. i'm so glad you asked. the singer of nirvana, kurt cobain, allegedly committed suicide on that day and, in my own estimation, was the catalyst in bringing about generation x.

[Blogger]

wow. I think you are right. Sorry i had forgotten that.